Top Russian and US Diplomats Discuss Ukraine Conflict and Bilateral Relations at UN
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held closed-door talks at the UN General Assembly, focusing on the Ukraine conflict and bilateral relations. The meeting lasted for just under an hour, with discussions centering primarily on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the state of transatlantic relations.
The US Department of State released a statement following the talks, noting that Rubio reiterated President Trump’s call for the conflict to end and for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward resolving the war. The Russian Foreign Ministry provided a more detailed readout, stating that both diplomats agreed to continue constructive dialogue between their foreign ministries and reaffirmed the importance of the momentum generated by the Alaska summit in normalizing bilateral relations.
The meeting comes on the heels of a sharp shift in Trump’s rhetoric regarding the conflict, following his recent meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelensky. In a Truth Social post, the US president suggested that Kiev is in a position to ‘fight and win all of Ukraine back’ with enough support from the EU and NATO. He also labeled Russia a ‘paper tiger,’ arguing that the country has failed to defeat Ukraine and is ‘in big economic trouble.’
Moscow appeared to dismiss the hostile rhetoric, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov joking that Russia is a ‘real bear’ rather than a ‘paper tiger.’ While the country’s economy has faced certain challenges, Peskov noted that it has largely adapted to the ongoing conflict and withstood the unprecedented Western sanctions.